Consistency
Consistency is key. I know, I am starting out this week's post with yet another cliché here. What can I say, I love using them! I wanted to go in a bit of a different direction this week. Usually, I like to talk about topics that are very much a part of my everyday life. Whether I am talking about my current diet and exercise regimen, how I am staying positive in my life, or just life in general. While today's post does stick to that theme in a sense, I am going to talk today about something I continue to struggle with. I mention one of my struggles in hope to trigger somewhat of a domino effect. Opening up a discussion for others that can relate to compare notes. The topic I am leading into here is consistency.
Any big task in life requires a good amount of consistency. Losing weight is a huge one. Becoming good at any craft is another. Really any big project in your life is going to require you to consistently keep working toward your end goal to see real results. I will break down the parts of my life I personally see consistency is required. One example I am doing fairly well in, one I am pretty good, and another that needs work. Let's start with the example I am doing well in and I think that is my writing. I will be the first to say that we are never truly perfect in really anything that we do. But improvement is the closest thing to perfect. I will soon have poems published in not one, but two books. Considering I only about a year ago started writing poetry I am pretty proud of that. I also slowly keep growing my page here as well. I will never be a perfect writer, but my consistent practice has proven to be paying off.
Let's talk about my example that is right in the middle. That would be exercise. In a bunch of ways, I have been doing great with exercising and consistency has been pretty much good. I still (with the exception of having the flu and when the weather gets bad) make sure I get my 3 days a week of weight training. Because of that consistency with my weight training I actually hit two PRs this week. The first being 430 lbs on the leg press, and just yesterday I back squatted with 140 lbs. I remember doing the leg press and putting 90 lbs on the machine was a huge challenge so that is proof that consistency has helped. Where I lack is cardio. I find myself finding excuses to avoid doing cardio. I know is it also essential to do for a healthy balanced lifestyle but I honestly just get so bored with it. The fact that I am aware of that is a good step though, and I can work on improving it. In a lot of ways, I have a great exercise routine going but I am also aware of where consistency is lacking.
The last example I want to give you today is one where I know consistency is lacking a bit more. I am sure if you follow my page here you can already guess it is with my diet. Now I am not saying my diet is completely inconsistent at all. I do my weekly meal prepping still In a lot of ways, I have a great exercise routine going but I am also aware of where consistency is lacking.seriously if you haven't invested in one of those you should), I plan my meals out and do my grocery shopping on Fridays. I do my best to make sure I have healthy snack options at work for when I am peckish and in need of a snack before the gym. My main issue is the weekends. Typically when I grocery shop for the week ahead I get myself a little treat. It's never anything extreme. Maybe a cookie from the bakery or something along those lines. I really see no problem with that. But little snacks like that add up. Usually, over the weekends I am overall just less conscious of what I am eating. I am very much aware of this, though, and working on it. I do have some consistency in this area, but I am very much aware it needs work!
So overall why is consistency important? Well, if you have a goal, you are trying to reach it is important to keep doing the things you need to do to reach that goal. If you have a craft that you are working to perfect, like writing for myself, then you are never going to improve if you are just practicing here and there. If you want to gain muscle and lower your BMI then only occasionally working out is most likely not going to give you the results you want. If you are just looking to lose weight, then having extra snacks is certainly not going to lead that goal. Consistency does not need to be adapted into your life overnight either. Cut out snacks here and there rather than completely or you may set yourself up for a serious setback. Slowly add gym days to your schedule rather than burning yourself out taking on 5 days right away. Agree to write a little every other day and then slowly add on to that. No matter what the degree of consistency you are practicing, you are still consistently working toward your goals!
Any big task in life requires a good amount of consistency. Losing weight is a huge one. Becoming good at any craft is another. Really any big project in your life is going to require you to consistently keep working toward your end goal to see real results. I will break down the parts of my life I personally see consistency is required. One example I am doing fairly well in, one I am pretty good, and another that needs work. Let's start with the example I am doing well in and I think that is my writing. I will be the first to say that we are never truly perfect in really anything that we do. But improvement is the closest thing to perfect. I will soon have poems published in not one, but two books. Considering I only about a year ago started writing poetry I am pretty proud of that. I also slowly keep growing my page here as well. I will never be a perfect writer, but my consistent practice has proven to be paying off.
Let's talk about my example that is right in the middle. That would be exercise. In a bunch of ways, I have been doing great with exercising and consistency has been pretty much good. I still (with the exception of having the flu and when the weather gets bad) make sure I get my 3 days a week of weight training. Because of that consistency with my weight training I actually hit two PRs this week. The first being 430 lbs on the leg press, and just yesterday I back squatted with 140 lbs. I remember doing the leg press and putting 90 lbs on the machine was a huge challenge so that is proof that consistency has helped. Where I lack is cardio. I find myself finding excuses to avoid doing cardio. I know is it also essential to do for a healthy balanced lifestyle but I honestly just get so bored with it. The fact that I am aware of that is a good step though, and I can work on improving it. In a lot of ways, I have a great exercise routine going but I am also aware of where consistency is lacking.
The last example I want to give you today is one where I know consistency is lacking a bit more. I am sure if you follow my page here you can already guess it is with my diet. Now I am not saying my diet is completely inconsistent at all. I do my weekly meal prepping still In a lot of ways, I have a great exercise routine going but I am also aware of where consistency is lacking.seriously if you haven't invested in one of those you should), I plan my meals out and do my grocery shopping on Fridays. I do my best to make sure I have healthy snack options at work for when I am peckish and in need of a snack before the gym. My main issue is the weekends. Typically when I grocery shop for the week ahead I get myself a little treat. It's never anything extreme. Maybe a cookie from the bakery or something along those lines. I really see no problem with that. But little snacks like that add up. Usually, over the weekends I am overall just less conscious of what I am eating. I am very much aware of this, though, and working on it. I do have some consistency in this area, but I am very much aware it needs work!
So overall why is consistency important? Well, if you have a goal, you are trying to reach it is important to keep doing the things you need to do to reach that goal. If you have a craft that you are working to perfect, like writing for myself, then you are never going to improve if you are just practicing here and there. If you want to gain muscle and lower your BMI then only occasionally working out is most likely not going to give you the results you want. If you are just looking to lose weight, then having extra snacks is certainly not going to lead that goal. Consistency does not need to be adapted into your life overnight either. Cut out snacks here and there rather than completely or you may set yourself up for a serious setback. Slowly add gym days to your schedule rather than burning yourself out taking on 5 days right away. Agree to write a little every other day and then slowly add on to that. No matter what the degree of consistency you are practicing, you are still consistently working toward your goals!
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